When my smart daughter Elisabeth when luau shopping for us online, she decided to go big. She selected the feast down the road from Kona By the Sea, at the big resort with trees that reminded me of a certain signature fruit.

Did I mention that it was a huge party? There was seating set up for hundreds.

People arrived early, us included.

We were joined by the foursome from Alaska, including newlyweds Maritza and Drew with niece Dacia and sibling Jana.

Jana’s day had included a trip to the emergency room because she’s hurt her ankle snorkeling the day prior. They gave her a splint, crutches and told her to see her doctor back home in Alaska. She wouldn’t let the pain or inconvenience keep her from the festivities. (In Alaska came the word that it was, indeed, fractured. Ouch.)

And so we all enjoyed the music.

We filled our plates and ate, ate, ate. (My one error was thinking the red stuff next to the salad greens was tomato. It was diced salmon. My lettuce therefore was picked around because of my aversion to most fish.)

We drank. I was the only one who went with the beer, opting for Hawaiian brand Primo, billed as the Island’s original. I liked it fine. Everyone else drank the mai tais, and said they were great.

We appreciated the dances, all done with stories attached.

We sweated through the fire show, wishing fervently that the guy would not miss on his tosses.

Even though all of this took place so gorgeously at the edge of the sea, the temperature never went below 85 this night.

Hot stuff, indeed.

Everybody else went for a nightcap at the Arkansas/Oklahoma spread afterward. I stayed back at our suite and enjoyed the air-conditioning.

Tomorrow: We ate well all around